Combined meter and circuit breaker assembly



April 19, 1966 A. wlEGl-:L 3,247,337

COMBINED METER AND CIRCUIT BREAKER ASSEMBLY Filed July l, 1963 UIL F/g.3 V44 l 60 /6 F/g. 2

I g Louis A. Wiegel INVENTOR.

{VlllilH/a BY L 1 um MMWMW United States Patent O 3,247,337 COMBINEDMETER AND CIRCUIT BREAKER ASSEMBLY Louis A. Wiegel, Box 2103, rlando,Fla. Filed July 1, 1963, Ser. No. 291,966 8 Claims. (Cl. 20u-44) rl`|hisinvention relates to a combined meter assembly and electrical circuitbreaker arrangement and involves certain improvements over my priorcopending application Serial No. 261,992, led March 1, 1963.

It' is therefore a primary object of the present invention to providefacilities whereby electrical power or service being supplied to abuilding may be cut off only by authorized personnel without thenecessity for such personnel to enter the building for such purpose.

Another important object of the present invention is to providefacilities whereby electrical service may be cut off only by authorizedpersonnel with a minimum of effort from a location external to thebuilding to which the electrical service is being supplied.

A still further object of the present invention constituting animprovement over the invention disclosed in the aforementioned priorcopending application, is to provide ya single key-operated devicemounted in combination with the conventional meter housing wherebyauthorized personnel may alternatively unlock the cover associated withthe meter housing without disturbing the condition of the circuitbreaker or to permit actuation of the circuit breaker for cutting offthe supply of power without removal of the meter housing cover.

In accordance with the foregoing objects, the present invention involvesan assembly of a meter within the usual meter housing having securedthereto an auxiliary switch housing within which the circuit breaker ismounted. A lock mechanism slidably mounted within the switch housing isarranged to hold the cover of the switch housing locked thereto and isalso operative when displaced by a sufricient amount to actuate thecircuit breaker, but only after a hingedly mounted closure member forthe switch housing is released and opened so as to simultaneously unlockthe cover from the meter housing. A tumbler-type of lock device istherefore mounted on the switch housing and exposed through its closuremember so as to enable authorized personnel to displace it in oppositeangular directions in order to either unlock the meter housing cover oractuate the circuit breaker. In this way, the presence of a singleexposed key-operated lock device having the aforementioned dualfunction, will conceal the circuit breaker function associatedtherewith.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the combined meter and circuit breakerassembly of the present invention shown mounted externally of a buildingat any typical location.

FIGUR-E 2 is an enlarged partial sectional View taken substantiallythrough a plane indicated by section line 2-2 in FGURE 1.

IFIGURIE 3 is a partial front elevational view of the assembly with thelower housing cover in an elevated position.

FIGURES 4A and 4B are enlarged sectional views of portions of theassembly in conditions different from that shown in FIGURE 2.

lReferring now to the drawings in detail, it will be observed that theassembly of the present invention generally 3,247,337 Patented Apr. 19,1966 referred to by reference numeral is mounted on the outside wall 12of a buildin-g to which electrical energy is being supplied from theelectrical power conduit 14. Accordingly, a power cable connection 16extends from the assembly 10 through an opening in the wall 12 forconducting electrical energy. The assembly 10 is therefore made up of ameter portion generally referred to by reference numeral 1'8 by means ofwhich the amount of energy being consumed may be periodically recordedfrom outside the building so as to enable the utility company to computethe appropriate charge without entry into the building. The meterhousing portion 1S is of a construction that is conventional but hasattached thereto and also secured in any suitable manner to the wall1,2, a switch housing portion 20 within which a circuit breaker ismounted so that the electrical connection through which power issupplied internally of the building, may be interrupted without entryinto the building when the power utility company is forced to cut olfthe supply of energy. lThe meter portion 1-8 is therefore provided withthe usual meter housing 22 having a cover member 24 associatedthere-with. The cover member 24 therefore mounts a projectingtransparent portion 26 through which the dials of the meter locatedwithin the housing 22, are visible. It will be appreciated, that thishousing cover 24 is removable from the housing 22 so as to expose themeter parts therewithin when repair or servicing thereof is required.The switch housing portion 20 may therefore be either an extension ofthe housing 22 or be separately made but secure to the housing 22.However, a separate cover or closure member 28 is associated `with theswitch housing porti-on 20.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 in particular, it will be observed that theswitch housing 30 yassociated with the switch housing portion 20, isprovided with spaced hinges 32 adjacent the upper end thereof forpivotally mounting the closure member 28 thereon. Also secured to theswitch housing 30 by fasteners 31 as shown in FIGURE 3 and concealedtherewithin by the closure member 28, is a conventional-type of circuitbreaker 34 having the usual type of actuator element 36 projectingtherefrom. The front portion of the switch housing 30 has securedthereto a mounting plate 38 to which the circuit breaker body 34 issecured and extends rearwardly therefrom. rlhe actuator element 36 onthe other hand, projects forwardly therefrom. Also secured to the lowerportion of the mounting plate 38, by means of the fastener element 40,is a guide element 42 including an upper projecting guide portion 44 anda lower -apertured portion 46 disposed behind a laterally extendingflange 48 against which the lower portion of the closure member 28abuts. The guide member 42 thereby slidably mounts an elongated lock barassembly generally referred to by reference numeral 50 by means of whichthe closure member 28 may be locked to the switch Yhousing 30. Alsoprovided. in the closure member 28, is an opening through which atumbler-type of lock device 52 is exposed, the lock device 52 beingmounted on the mounting plate 38 by fasteners 39 on one lateral side ofthe lock bar assembly 50 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 3. Thus, withthe closure member 28 locked in closed position, the lock device S2 willbe exposed so that a key 54 as shown by dotted lines in FIGURE 2, may beinserted.

rIhe lock bar assembly 50 includes a lower section 56 having an offsetend portion 58 which is projectable through alined apertures in theguide portion 46 and in the switch housing 30 into a recess formedwithin a lock limit member 60 secured to the lower flange portion of theclosure member 2S. Accordingly, the member 60 will -be alined with theelongated bar assembly to receive the lower end portion 58 thereof forlocking the closure member 2f8to` the'housing'Zt) as well as to limitits downward displacement to the position shown in FIG. 2. The lowersection 56 of the bar assembly is connected to the pla-te 38 togetherwith .an upper section 62 by means of the slide coupling assembly 64.The upper section is provided with an upper offset end portion 66 whichis projectable through alined apertures in the central top portion 68 ofthe switch housing 30 and the lower llange portion 70 of the meterhousing -cover 24. The cover 24 will thereby be locked to the housingwhen the upper end portion 66 of the lock bar assembly projects throughthe aperture therein as shown in FIGURE 2. The end portion `66 of thelock bar assembly may however be withdrawn so as to permit removal ofthe cover 24 by pivotal displacement of the cover member 28 so that theupper inwardly projecting ange portion 72 thereof may engage a.projecting stud "74 on the upper section 62v of the 4lock bar assemblyin order to 'effect its downward displacement to the position shown inFIGURES 3 and 4A. It will also be noted, in FIGURE 2, that downwarddisplacement of the lock bar assembly would be prevented by the member60 within which the lower end portion 58 is received. Thus, with theclosure member 28 locked by the lock bar assembly, unlocking of thecover 24 for removal -thereof is not possible nor is it possible toactuate the circuit breaker.

Key-operated facilities are therefore provided including the lock device52 and stmcture on the lock bar assembly whereby the cover 24 and theclosure member 2S may be unlocked and also for actuating the circuitbreaker from the closed circuit position illustrated in kFIGURES 2 and 3to an open circuit position. Secured to the inner axial end o1 the lockdevice 52, is an angularly displaceable element 76. It will beappreciated, that angular displacement of this element may be effectedonly by insertion of the proper key 54 into the lock device.Accordingly, a lock actuating stud 78 is 'secured to the lower section56 of the lock bar assembly so that when the displaceable element 76 lisdisplaced by ithe key-operated lock device in a clockwise direction asviewed in FIG- URE 3, the lower section of the lock bar assembly may beupwardly displaced relative to the slide assembly 64 to the positionshown in FIG. 3 so as to withdraw the lower end portion 58 from themember 60. I-t will be noted however, that the lower switch actuatingstud 80 secured to the lock bar just below the actuating element 36,will have no eiect on the circuit breaker when upwardly displaced..Accordingly, clockwise displacement of the element 76 will be operativeto only unlock the closure member 2% from the switch housing 3i).Counterclockwise displacement of the element 76 into engagement with thelower lock actuating stud 82 will not be effective to displace the lockybar assembly in a downward direction any further from the positionillustrated in FIGURE 2 so that actuation of the actuating element 36 bythe upper switch actuating stud S4 is not possible until the closuremember 2S is opened so as to permit further downward displacement of thelock bar assembly 50. It will therefore be apparent, that the element 76must be initially displaced in a clockwise direction so as to unlock theclosure member 28. Thereafter, pivotal upward displacement of theclosure member 28 to the position shown in FIGURE 3 will cause the angeportion 72 thereof to engage the stud 74 so that the upper section 62 ofthe lock bar assembly will be downwardly displaced relative to the slideassembly 64 a sufficient distance to withdraw the upper end portion `66from the cover member 24 as shown in FIGURE 3. In this manner,authorized personnel may remove the cover member 24 for repair of themeter within the meter portion I8 of the assembly. However, if thecircuit breaker 34 is to be actuated in order to cut off the electricalenergy, the .lock device 52 is then actuated in a counterclock-wisedirection as viewed in FIGURE 3 so that the element 76 will downwardlydisplace the locking bar assembly and thereby pivot-ally displace theactuating element 36 so as t-o position the circuit breaker in an opencircuit condition. This may be effected without removal of the meterhousing cover 24 which may then be relocked by upward displacement ofthe upper section 62 of the locking bar assembly by the llange portion'72 engaging the offset portion 66 as shown in FIG. 4A, when the closuremember 28 is being closed. The key-operated element 76 is then againdisplaced in a counterclockwise direction to relock the closure memberin its closed position.

From the foregoing description, the construction and utility of thepresent invention will be apparent. It will therefore be appreciated,that by use of a single keyoperated device, the covers associated withthe meter housings may be unlocked for opening of the housing if desiredor for subsequent actuation of the circuit breaker after which thecovers may be relocked. It will therefore be appreciated that theconstruction of the present invention fullls an important need inenabling authorized personnel to cut off electrical yservice `to abuilding without entry thereof in an effortless manner. Also,rca-establishment of electrical service by unauthorized persons Vis bothdiscouraged and rendered difficult since the arrangement of the presentinvention requires in addition to a proper key, knowledge of theoperational procedure for actuating the circuit breaker.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modication-s and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe inventio-n to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modications and equivalents maybe resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with -a meter housing having a cover and a metermounted in the housing through which electrical connections areestablished externally of a building for supply of electrical energyinternally of the building; a circuit breaker operatively mounted on themeter housing for interrupting said electrical connections in an opencondition thereof to cut oil said supply of electrical energy, lockmeans operative when ysaid circuit breaker is in an operative conditionto lock the cover to the housing, common key-operated means engageablewith the lock means and the circuit breaker for alternatively unlockingthe lock means and actuating the circuit breaker without removal of thecover, a switch housing secured to the meter housing and enclosing thecircuit breaker therein, a closure member operatively mounted on theswitch housing having means engageable with the lock means forwithdrawal thereof from the meter housing in response to opening of theclosure member to permit removal ofthe cover therefrom.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said lock means comprises, anelongated bar assembly having opposite portions displaceable withinlimits, guide means secured to said switch housing and aligned with anaperture in said cover through which one of said end portions isextended to lock the cover to the meter housing, and limit means securedto said closure means for receiving the other end portion of the barassembly to hold the closure means closed and prevent actuation of thecircuit breaker.

3. The combination of claim Z wherein said keyoperated means includes akey receiving lock device rotatably mounted by the switch housing, anangularly displaceableelement connected to the lock device fordisplacement in two directions, means mounted on the lock means andengageable by the angularly displaceable element for unlocking thereofin one direction of displacement to permit displacement of the elementin the other direction, and means mounted on the lock means` foractuating the circuit breaker to another operative condia tion upondisplacement of the element in said other direction.

4. In combination with a meter housing having a cover and a metermounted in the housing through which electrical connections areestablished externally of a building for supply of electrical energyinternally ofthe building; a circuit breaker operatively mounted on themeter housing for interrupting said electrical connections in an opencondition thereof to cut ofrF said supply of electrical energy, lockmeans operative when said circuit breaker is in an operative conditionto lock the cover to the housing, common key-operated means engageablewith the lock means and the circuit breaker for alternatively unlockingthe lock means and actuating the circuit breaker without removal of thecover, said lock means comprising, an elongated bar assembly havingopposite portions displaceable within limits, guide means secured tosaid housing and aligned with an aperture in said cover through whichone of said end portions is extended to lock the cover to the meterhousing, and limit means for preventing withdrawal of said one endportion of the bar assembly from the aperture in the cover untilreleased by the key-operated means.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said key-operated means includes akey receiving lock device rotatably mounted by the housing, an angularlydisplace- `able Aelement connected to the lock device for displacementin two directions, means mounted on the lock means and engageable by theangularly displaceable element for unlocking thereof in one direction ofdisplacement to permit displacement of the element in the otherdirection, and means mounted on the lock means for actuating the circuitbreaker to another operative condition upon displacement of the elementin said other direction.

6. in combination with a meter housing having a cover and a metermounted in the housing through which electrical connections areestablished externally of a building for supply of electrical energyinternally of the building; a circuit breaker operatively mounted on themeter housing for interrupting said electrical connections in an opencondition thereof to cut off said supp-ly of electrical energy, lockmeans operative when said circuit breaker is in an operative conditionto lock the cover to the heus; ing, common key-operated means engageablewith the lock means and the circuit breaker for alternatively unlockingthe lock means and actuating the circuit breaker without removal of thecover, said key-operated means including a key receiving lock devicerotatably mounted by the angularly displaceable element for unlockingnected to the lock device for displacement in two directions, meansmounted on the lock means and engageable by the angularlyl dlsplac/eableelement for unlocking thereof in one direction of displacement to permitdisplacement of the element in the other direction, and means mounted onthe lock means for actuating the circuit breaker to another operativecondition upon displacement of the element in said other direction.

7. The combination of claim 6 including a switch housing secured to themeter housing and enclosing the circuit breaker therein, a closuremember operatively mounted on the switch housing having means engageablewith the lock means for withdrawal thereof from the meter housing inresponse to opening of the closure member to permit removal of the covertherefrom.

S. In combination with a housing mounting a switch device therein andhaving a movable closure member enclosing the switch device within thehousing, key operated means comprising a lock device ixedly mounted inthe housing and projecting through an opening in the closure member whenin a closed position enclosing the switch device Within the housing,actuating means operatively engageable by the lock device fordisplacement thereof to operate the switch device, and locking meansoperatively connected to the actuating means for locking the closuremember in the closed position thereof and preventing said displacementof the actuating means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,145,764 7/1915Fuller 20D- 44 KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner. JOHN F. BURNS, I.J. BOSCO, Assistant Examiners.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A METER HOUSING HAVING A COVER AND A METERMOUNTED IN THE HOUSING THROUGH WHICH ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AREESTABLISHED EXTERNALLY OF A BUILDING FOR SUPPLY OF ELECTRICAL ENERGYINTERNALLY OF THE BUILDING; A CIRCUIT BREAKER OPERATIVELY MOUNTED ON THEMETER HOUSING FOR INTERRUPTING SAID ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS IN AN OPENCONDITION THEREOF TO CUT OFF SAID SUPPLY OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY, LOCKMEANS OPERATIVE WHEN SAID CIRCUIT BREAKER IS IN AN OPERATIVE CONDITIONTO LOCK THE COVER TO THE HOUSING COMMON KEY-OPERATED MEANS ENGAGEABLEWITH THE LOCK MEANS AND THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR ALTERNATIVELY UNLOCKINGTHE LOCK MEANS AND ACTUATING THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WITHOUT REMOVAL OF THECOVER, A SWITCH HOUSING SECURED TO THE METER HOUSING AND ENCLOSING THECIRCUIT BREAKER THEREIN, A CLOSURE MEMBER OPERATIVELY MOUNTED ON THESWITCH HOUSING HAVING MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE LOCK MEANS FORWITHDRAWAL THEREOF FROM THE METER HOUSING IN RESPONSE TO OPENING OF THECLOSURE MEMBER TO PERMIT REMOVAL OF THE COVER THEREFROM.